The present disclosure is directed to sealing washers, and more specifically to sealing washers that expand in circumference when compressed.
A common and recurring issue in fluid connections is leakage. For example, in garden hoses leaks at hose fittings coupling a hose to another hose, a spigot, or nozzle, for example, commonly leak water. The hoses themselves may not always leak, but in many cases the connecting hardware leaks water. Commonly, such connections will leak water regardless of how tightly the two parts, namely the male hose fitting and female hose fitting, of the connection are threaded together. This is largely attributed to the fact that the manufacturers of hoses and other related equipment having female hose fittings generally use one of two main types of washers in the connections, flat or O-ring washers. Such flat or O-ring washers are generally made from natural rubber or plastics.
While the materials of traditional washers may be different, both are similar in size and shape and both have serious shortcomings. The natural rubber washers may work at first, but as time goes on, they become brittle, and can even crack. This often results due to natural rubber being subjected to high pressure water and widely varying temperatures. For example, a garden hose that is left full of water out in the summer's sun, can become extremely hot. This hot water accelerates the breakdown of the natural rubber. Plastic washers commonly have similar performance and can break down after being subjected to high pressures and/or temperatures for an extended period. Furthermore, such washers may become less effective over longer periods of use even without being subject to high pressures and/or temperatures.
Furthermore, the design of hose washers for years has been the same as a common metal washer. Such washers generally comprise a basic, flattened cylinder, or an o-ring. Since hoses use threads on their male and female fittings to enable connections, the threads themselves are many times the source of a water leak. Commonly a shoulder portion of the female hose fitting, or the end portion of a male fitting, have an uneven or otherwise imperfect surface that will contact the main seating area of the washer. In some cases, the hose washer itself has an imperfect seating area. In other cases, dirt or debris may be present in or on the female or male fittings, or on the hose washer itself. In such situations, the main seating area of the hose washer may not properly seal, allowing water to bypass the seal and makes its way out of the connection via the hose connection threads.
Such leaks in some situations may cause a minor nuisance, but in many cases leaks can also present safety concerns, can result in potential property damage (particularly if the hose is used in an interior of a business or residence), and can result in wasted water.